Optically readable discs, such as audio and video discs (CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW), etc. are in widespread use, and there is a recognized need for suitable means for their convenient storage and retrieval. A variety of systems and devices have been proposed, all of which are subject to shortcomings and disadvantages.
Optical discs are typically marketed in so-called "jewel case" enclosures, which are flat boxes, typically of clear plastic material, that contain the disc together with a tray card and title strip carrying information relating to the contents of the disc, and sometimes a small information booklet. One of the most common storage techniques involves the use of storage racks for holding the discs in their original jewel cases. U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,984 is an example of one of many such racks. This approach to storage and retrieval has several significant disadvantages, one of which is the substantial space requirement involved in the storage of the disc in its relatively bulky jewel case. Collectors frequently may have several hundred discs to store, and the extra space required to accommodate a jewel case for each becomes significant. Additionally, retrieval of a particular disc requires, among other things, removal of the disc from the jewel case. This can be somewhat difficult, because the disc frequently is held in the case by a center hub structure, which offers resistance to the removal of the disc and eventually can lead to cracking of the disc's thin reflective foil and degradation of the disc. Aesthetics is another problem with this kind of storage. Typically, the storage racks store the jewel cases with one edge (bearing the title of the disc) exposed. This results in an uncoordinated, multi-color display that may conflict with the decor of the room. A less obvious, but nevertheless significant disadvantage of this storage technique is that the jewel cases have open areas (slots) and, if exposed to the ambient, provide only marginal dust protection to the optical discs, which can result in degradation of disc performance over time.
Another common approach to optical disc storage is reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,972, in which the discs are stored without their original jewel cases, by insertion in individual slots in a storage case. This arrangement has the obvious benefit of reducing space requirements. However, typically there is no convenient facility for the storage of tray cards and/or booklets. Retrieval of discs is rather cumbersome because, in the first instance, it is necessary to provide for indirect indexing. That is, the discs are accessed from the storage case by number, and it is necessary to have a separate index cross referencing the position number in the case to the title of the particular disc. When a particular disc is identified and selected, it is retrieved by opening the entire case, exposing all of the discs to the ambient and to the potential for dust contamination. Moreover, replacing the disc after use requires a reasonable level of dexterity, in order to insert the disc into its narrow slot.
Yet another form of storage device is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,399, which illustrates a portable clam shell-type case. This approach also stores the disc without its jewel case and makes efficient use of space. It is useful for portable storage devices, but is not particularly suitable for home storage systems due to limitations in the ability to stack multiple units. Indexing is also rather limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,506 discloses a storage case for storage of optical discs in closely spaced, side-by-side relation in a tiltable housing. Disc retrieval is effected by sliding a carrier to a desired position and tilting the housing to allow a selected disc to roll forwardly into the carrier. The selected disc is locked into the carrier, which is then moved laterally to one side or the other of the storage container, where slots are provided for enabling the disc to be removed from the container. Although lateral space is efficiently used, the use of space in the front-to-back direction is very inefficient. Loading and retrieval of discs is somewhat cumbersome, because of the need to first load the disc into the carrier and then to transport the carrier to the side of the container. Additionally, indexing is inconvenient.
It is an objective to the present invention to provide a novel and improved system for the storage and retrieval of optical discs in an effectively dust-proof environment, while providing advanced features for the convenient indexing, loading and retrieval of discs, and while making efficient use of available space. In a preferred form of the invention, provision is made for the storage of tray cards in association with the discs, with the tray cards being available for retrieval simultaneously with the discs.
One of the significant objectives of the invention is the provision of a storage and retrieval system for optical discs which while storing the discs in an effectively dust-proof environment, at the same time optimizes the ease with which discs may be loaded into and retrieved from the storage unit. This is accomplished by storage of the discs vertically, on edge, in a housing, which is closed except for a horizontally slidable portal element provided with a vertical access slot for loading and retrieval of discs. Flexible shutters are attached to each side of the sliding portal element such that, in any position of the portal, the storage unit is fully enclosed except for the access slot in the portal element. In the most preferred embodiment, a door is provided for totally closing the front of the storage container, such that the storage environment is completely dust free when closed up during periods of nonuse.
In a preferred form of the invention, an outer housing, open at the front, tiltably supports an inner housing provided with grooves for holding a plurality of discs vertically on edge. A laterally movable portal element is mounted for laterally slidable movement across the front of the outer housing into positions of selective alignment with grooves of the inner housing. The inner housing is normally tilted slightly to the rear, so that optical discs stored in its slots will tend to roll to stop positions at the back of the internal housing. Disc retrieval is effected by forward tilting of the internal housing to effect forward rolling of the discs. A selected disc, aligned with a vertical slot in the portal element, becomes exposed at the portal, to enable removal. All other discs are held back by the slidable shutter elements attached to each side of the portal.
A further objective of the invention is the provision of a disc storage and retrieval system which, in the retrieval mode, will present a disc with a substantial portion of its surface area, including the central opening, exposed. This enables the disc to be withdrawn from the storage container by grasping the center opening and an outside edge, without touching any of the sensitive surfaces of the disc. Reloading of the disc can be accomplished by gripping the disc in the same manner, while inserting the disc into the slot in the portal element. When the disc is partly inserted in its slot, the finger may be withdrawn from the center opening, and the disc can be pushed farther into the slot by contact with an edge only. Reinsertion of a disc is facilitated by providing the portal slot with an outwardly divergent V-shaped configuration, such that the leading edge of the disc is guided into its narrow retaining grooves in the inner housing. To particular advantage, the contours of the internal retaining grooves are such that the disc is engaged only at its outer edge extremities, in areas where data is not recorded.
In a particularly preferred form of the invention, provision is made for retaining tray cards in the storage housing in a position to be accessed simultaneously with access of the optical disc. Where such a feature is provided, the portal element is provided with a pair of adjacent vertical access slots, one for the disc and an adjacent slot for the tray card. Manipulation of the housing to present a disc at the access slot of the portal element for removal simultaneously presents the associated tray card in the adjacent slot for removal if desired. This particularly advantageous feature allows access to the tray card, containing important information about the contents of the disc, such as the names of songs and musicians, composers, arrangers, etc. that may be of interest to the collector.
An additional important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a unique and advantageous direct indexing system which enables the portal element to be moved directly to a particular title rather than to a numeral index determined from a cross reference. In this respect, the inner side of the closure door for the storage unit is formed with a corrugated surface which, when the door is open, lies directly below the slidable portal element. The angled surfaces of the corrugated inner wall of the door have sufficient width, on the angle, to receive the title title strip, which is provided in the jewel case when the disc is initially purchased. Typically, the jewel case includes the tray card with title strips attached to opposite edges and visible at the spine of the jewel case. A title strip is separated from the tray card and mounted on an angular surface of the inner door wall, which angular surface corresponds with a particular slot location of the inner housing. Accordingly, a title strip, visible on the inner wall of the door, provides an indexing reference for the portal element. When the portal element is aligned with a given title, it will be aligned with a particular slot of the inner housing which will receive the disc corresponding to the title. By mounting the title strips at an angle, they remain fully visible to the user, while allowing the discs to be spaced closer together than the full flat width of the title strip. Thus, direct indexing of the discs is enabled while accommodating compact storage of the discs. In some embodiments, the entire title strip may be used. However, where more compact storage is desired, and only narrower spaces are afforded, it may be expedient to construct the inside of the door with two (or more) selectively visible, partial height panels, one slidable over the other, carrying shortened title strips. This enables the portal to be moved into alignment with a particular title strip of a selected panel, to provide direct indexing to the disc associated with the title strip.
As a further advantageous feature of the invention, provisions are made for automatically guiding the portal element into accurate alignment with a disc slot, after the portal element has been brought into visual alignment with a title strip and thus an approximate alignment with the corresponding slot in the housing.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, and to the accompanying drawings.